People in Lichfield and Burntwood are facing higher council tax bills with Staffordshire Country Council planning an increase of almost 5%.
The authority will hike the precept – the share of council tax bills that goes to them – in April to help tackle soaring costs.
The budget for providing social care for elderly residents and vulnerable children and young people has topped £400million for the first time and makes up more than £6 out of every £10 set to be spent by Staffordshire County Council in 2023/24.
A 4.99% county council tax rise is being proposed to help fund services such as social care, schools and road maintenance as well as enabling investments to boost the county’s economy and facilities.
If the increase is approved it would mean residents living in Band D properties paying an extra £1.34 a week, taking their annual county council tax precept to £1,471.23.
Cllr Ian Parry, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for finance, said:
“We pride ourselves on being well-run – financial security is really important to us. We have never been a council that takes high risks and we have never invested in schemes that seem to have been the downfall of some councils.
“We are a steady authority that tries to offer value for money and a stable budget.
“The financial challenges on the council this year are different from previous years. They’re more economically-focused, given where we are with inflation and other macroeconomic factors.
“As well as inflation costs, it’s recognising people are struggling with the cost of living and pressures on the organisation being able to deliver services to families. Other priorities include investment in jobs, care, schools and roads – we recognise the challenges on everyone and we are doing our best.
“Last year we had to factor in an extra £25million just to cover inflation and we weren’t expecting our payroll costs to increase beyond 2%. Apart from that there are also pressures on the council in terms of demand for services.”
“There are more children in care than last year and more children in care with complex needs There is also an increase, as there always is, of people needing our help as they grow older, and help coming out of hospital.
“The combination of another one-year settlement from Government and the variables of inflation and energy costs, plus uncertainties over which parts of adult social care reforms are still to be implemented immediately – and at what price – pose challenges for any authority trying to plan for the long term and share its plans with the public.
“Nonetheless, we are proposing a balanced budget and promise to spend every pound of taxpayers’ money as carefully and wisely as we can.”
Cllr Ian Parry, Staffordshire County Council
The council is earmarking a £15m contingency fund to help cover increased costs during the next financial year, as well as planning an investment of around £45million to upgrade and refurbish older school buildings, as well as extensions in areas with growing populations, and £50million is being allocated towards repair and maintenance of roads.
Around £40m is to go towards projects to improve residents’ health, such as diabetes-prevention, young people’s mental health and drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
And £5.8million will be used to extend and refurbish Hawthorne House in Lichfield to provide adult social care.
Cabinet members are set to discuss the budget for 2023/24 at a meeting on 25th January. The full council will be asked to consider it in February.
